Finial with crystal

Man does yoga in Wheeling WVA motel. Is commemorated by placement of his photo on ancient railing finial.

Pembine WI

1977

Heading to hermit's cottage to feed chickadees. Ungloved, we could feel the warmth of the tiny birds' feet as they took turns flying into our hand to snatch sunflower seeds.

Their breath came out of their beak nostrils in white puffs....

old photo dep't

Light bulb balloon 1977

floats across desert
with steaming coffee cup
gondola

memorabilia coming down
water color, rudimentary

A fortunate exposure

The peaceful table arrangement was done by the minister of First Congregational UCC church and her assistant in time for a planning retreat held Saturday morning, 3/6/10.

It greeted the many attenders as they came down the enclosed outside stairs to the church basement meeting space, called The Heritage Room. The high basement windows were on the east wall, thus the early sun came down the window recesses suggesting an available light photo.

The elements on the tabletop were items that came from legacies of past ministers.

This was the second of three retreats to plan the future of the church after assessing where they've been.

Re 'mes amis'

Let us blow that past you one more time

The staircase shown in yesterday's post about our upcoming move is not located at the Putney Building, where we are going. No, the stairs there are pretty ordinary. The illustrated staircase was only to symbolize where we are on our upward trajectory.

It is a stairway work of art in a Shaker restored village in Kentucky where we once visited. We bought post cards there, and that was one of them.

Presently, we struggle with what to part with and what to take. The whistling teakettle is such an item in question. It was previously featured in the raccoon.

http://raccoonnews.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-is-it.html

Fear naught, your ricketous editor will not be undertaking any stairways of such moment, however charming they may be, but will instead take the existing elevator.

Mes amis que j'aime

Friends who I love,

March 31st marks the end of our residency at 517 Arcadian Ave, Waukesha after 28 years. After that, the raccoonery will be at 310 South Street No. 311, Waukesha 53186. This is the historic Victorian Putney Building, a limestone masterpiece and a wonderful reclamation of an old downtown office building.

We will be on the Main Street side in an elevatored 2 BRM 1.5 bath loft, looking down on the central Five Points. Located only one block from the alleged raccoon meeting chamber beneath the old post office, the hub of the various city sewer spokes, we will be even closer to the action in that regard. That feature alone played a focal role in our decision.

A natefull day

FANCY:

A DAUGHTER IN ALASKA

presents with her bull moose shoulder blades

- 2 ea, matching set -

a wind-up toy

we've been needing;

how are such things known?

The figure, made in Germany,

has apparently resolved

whether he is man or mouse;

he is a man with a mouse,

dancing.

When fully wound

he twirls Ms. Mouse

wearing a green tu-tu

around and around

and up and down

until the spring

winds down......

The dancing duo joins

on the little table by the window

the giant gnome

and the tiny Nissa Man

(also from this daughter)

and the brass creeket figurine

who only stands for a creeket

and is not real

of the foursome.

Some may know of the creekets,

stowaways in the old

Zepata (non sic) chronicles.

http://raccoonnews.blogspot.com/search?q=creekets

And if that were not enough

ANOTHER GIRL PRESENTS

her cherished

lovely illustrated

England-bought copy of

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe,

C. S. Lewis's lead-off

of the Chronicles of Narnia.

We had to get to be an old man

before we read these allegoric stories.

We set aside a long white beard

long ago shorn

before pointing our spectacles at

the magic wardrobe tale.

The chronicles

were written in 1949 and the early 50s

and we'd been too busy with other matters

to pay heed;

but now, we will listen.

The gifter wrote the following:

Dear David,

Happy Birthday.................

I am sharing a story with you.

I have often found

(having not discovered Narnia till adulthood)

that there is often greater strength,

refuge and ptracticable wisdom

in Lewis's stories

than (cannot read) through scripture.

I suppose it is the child in me.

This story is about life, what we think,

know, or dream

and about the many ways

The Living God

calls and comes to us.

May you discover that unknown Joy

that beats the hell out of known pain

every day of the week!